Why Santa might skip your mall

It's not because you've been naughty. It's demographics.

Malls have Santas for a lot of reasons, but a big one is to attract families. Santas like this one at the Westfield North County in Escondido are hired by photo companies who make the money back on picture pacages.
— John Gastaldo

Malls have Santas for a lot of reasons, but a big one is to attract families. Santas like this one at the Westfield North County in Escondido are hired by photo companies who make the money back on picture pacages.
— John Gastaldo

But he’s not. He’ll be at the Westfield North County in Escondido every day this Christmas season, but he’ll only be at Horton Plaza on Saturdays. He’s already made his lone visit to Viejas Outlets.

Sure, he’s got a lot to do in December, but why choose some malls over others?

Business, of course.

Christmas shoppers expect the full panoply of Christmas decorations, and nearly every center in San Diego County will oblige with wreaths, holly, and carols. But the presence of Santa himself depends heavily on mall demographics.

“It’s another form of entertainment,” said Sean Swanger, regional manager for Westfield’s seven San Diego County malls. “Our core customer in most of our malls is moms, moms with kids. Mom is always looking for something to do with kids. Santa is another form of entertainment at holiday time, coupled with the fact that it’s tradition.”

At the Hazard Center in Mission Valley, there won’t be any Santa at all.

“We are a destination shopping center (versus a mall) that caters specifically to those who work and live in Mission Valley,” Lisa Gualco, general manager for Hazard Center, said in an email. “As such, we want to keep their shopping experience quick, efficient and convenient throughout the holiday season.”

Most full-time Santa setups are partnerships between photo companies and the shopping centers. The centers provide a setting that fits their decorative motif, and the photo company pays rent on the space. Malls without a full-time Santa during the holidays either didn’t want one or were turned down by the photo companies.

Malls and shopping centers — and their tenants — take holidays very seriously. Many retail outlets make the bulk of their profits for the year during the holiday season. Santa Claus, particularly with his emphasis on presents, draws shoppers and helps them to make buying decisions. But not every mall is right for a Santa.

For “class A” shopping malls located in dense population centers or at highway junctions, a full-time Santa can be a necessity. The malls provide a setting that fits with their decorative theme, and then a photo company rents the space. The photo company provides the Santa Claus and charges for pictures.

Westfield is pushing the envelop on the Santa setting this year at its newly renovated University City and North County locations. Children and parents waiting for Santa get to play with a giant touchscreen that can snap low-resolution eCards or play games. The environment itself is a huge Christmas ornament, complete with the scent of pine trees.

“We want to enhance and build even more excitement by creating interactive touch points,” said Betsy Burkett, vice president for digital marketing for Westfield USA.

Inside the setting, Santa awaits, but his boss is likely lurking nearby, holding an expensive camera and a stern look for parents trying to snap their own pictures. Most malls in the area allow families to visit Santa for free, but they can’t take pictures. The photo companies that employ the Santas make their money on photo packages, typically from $10 to $60, depending on the package. Westfield has a contract with Cherry Hill Photo in New Jersey for all of its sites nationally.